Generally, a conventional vacuum cleaner has a brush member, which rotates while facing the surface to be cleaned. The brush member strikes or scratches that surface with a rotating force while the cleaner moves along the surface, thereby separating dust and dirt from the surface. The dust or dirt separated by the brush member is suctioned into a cleaner body by a suction force generated from the cleaner body, and collected therein.
If the brush member came into contact with a slick or smooth surface to be cleaned, such as a bare or hardwood floor, the slick surface may be damaged due to friction with the brush member.
To address that problem, some vacuum cleaners have a blocking means for selectively blocking the operation of the brush member. For example, the brush motor for driving the brush member may be provided separately from the suction motor for generating the suction force, allowing selective blocking of the drive of the brush member via an ‘on’ and ‘off’ switch operation.
Another example of a blocking means includes providing an idling bearing and two driving belts that are used to selectively block the drive of the brush member, which is rotated by the suction motor that generates the suction force.
However, both of the above, constructions are complicated, and increase fabrication costs due to multiple parts.